Nexus 4 - what a long strange trip it's been

Brief history for those of you who live under a rock: The Nexus 4 was first available on the Google Play Store on November 13, and sold out within half an hour. It showed it's pretty face again on December 3 (at least here in Canada), and then was unavailable since then. Until now. I'm happy to report that there is no longer a need to bash that f5 button any more - the Nexus 4 is still available more than 24 hours later, and doesn't seem to be going anywhere!

Because this is the most elusive device of late 2012 (and 2013 so far), I thought I'd let you guys in on it.

First of all, let's talk a bit about the price. $350 unlocked for the 16GB model. $300 for the 8GB (I wouldn't recommend this though unless you know for sure you won't use the storage). 

You get what you paid for...right? False. In this one case, you get much more than what you paid for...unless you can get a quad core HD 4.7" screen with a kickass design for less than $600. I haven't herd of anywhere. If you think it isn't great, have a look at the specs sheet. Also, just for fun, try to find one review that doesn't suggest the Nexus 4. If you find one, let me know. I'm curious.

That being said, no phone is perfect, and the Nexus 4 is no different. It has a glass back which isn't gorilla glass - meaning it will scratch. This glass back is also extremely slippery, even on surfaces you think will be flat. For these reasons, I've included some accessories I've taken note of. Also, unfortunately, Google left out LTE. And a removable SD card. And the battery isn't removable. And the camera isn't great. Let me explain.

The biggest flaw is the lack of LTE. Google has said that it left this out for 2 reasons: battery life, and freedom. Google didn't want to bow to any carriers specific LTE bands, and instead went with a GSM-only penta-pand phone which will work anywhere in the world (nearly). It isn't compatible with major US carriers besides T-Mobile and AT&T.

If you are at all interested, here is the official link. Because I just ordered one, I went around the InterWebz and found some accessories. I do occasionally drop my phone, but I don't want to lose my shiny Nexus 4 to a petty tumble. That's why I opted for a hybrid protection case - a hard plastic outer shell to absorb any drops, surrounding a soft gel inner case to prevent against scratches and to dissipate the force of any accidental drops. I only found a few cases that protect using this hybrid style, and I only found one that looks as good as the Nexus 4 (or close to it - the Nexus does look very sleek). Here it is, and for only $13 (+ around $10 shipping). 

If you want to protect the butt of the phone from scratches (it is glass, but not gorilla glass. There are reports of lots of scratched backs already) in a neat way, look no further than DBrand. They are about 1/2 the price of the case mentioned above, and come in different colors and styles. From what I've herd they're awesome, and even come textured (the leather feels like actual leather).
Update: My skin came in and you can find out more about it here

I'll give you guys more information once this gear actually arrives (scheduled to within about a week), but these are the most promising accessories I found in a good 2 hour search.

Are you considering getting a Nexus 4? Already got one? Let us know what you think in the comments!